Overview
Some Asus Sales talk (coming from their website) Smart Technology – Super Hybrid Engine ASUS understands that one of the primary concerns of notebook computing has always been battery life. In response to the need for greater energy efficiency, ASUS N Series notebooks feature the Super Hybrid Engine (SHE) which consists of the Power4 Gear Hybrid application and the Energy Processing Unit (EPU). Power4 Gear Hybrid facilitates the deployment and usage of power according to the users' preferences in relation to the specific tasks that they need to perform, while the EPU accurately detects the users' power requirements and makes the necessary power adjustments. The combined energy saving effects of the SHE results in an extension of battery life of up to 35%*. Smart Technology – Quick Logons through Facial Recognition Continuing with the tradition of breaking tradition, ASUS introduces a whole new way in which users logon to their computers—through facial recognition. The SmartLogon system detects the user's face and logs on without any intervention from the user. This system is designed to learn the variations of the user's facial features, and is capable of performing detection in different lighting conditions. Smart Looks – Cutting-edge Style In designing the N Series notebooks, ASUS utilized cutting-edge technologies, particularly in the use of In-Mold Roller Technology which creates a scratch-resistant panel that retains its sheen even after prolonged use. Boasting a streamlined exterior with shiny metal-like inlaid patterns inspired by modernist art-deco, N Series notebooks deliver performance with style. Smart Security - RF Biometric Fingerprint Reader ASUS N10J incorporates an AuthenTec fingerprint sensor with TruePrint® technology, which enables the sensor to reliably read virtually everyone´s fingerprint every time. TruePrint technology uses small RF signals to detect the unique fingerprint patterns beneath the skin´s surface where the true fingerprint resides. For the most accurate reading, the AuthenTec fingerprint sensor scans fingerprint patterns from the live layer of the skin, bypassing many common skin surface conditions Smart Technology – One Touch Magnification Tool Users can activate the magnification tool with a single touch in order to zoom in on a document or webpage. This allows N10J users to see in more detail while maintaining the slim and petite form factor of the N10J. Smart Technology – Smart Bootups in 8 Seconds and Fast Internet Connectivity with Express Gate In addition to the unique technologies and software features, N10J unveils the latest Express Gate that empowers users with the simplest usage experience. This additional built-in operating system enables ultra fast boot up for access to a host of most commonly used features, including web browser, instant messenger, Skype, photo manager, music player and online gaming.*subject to system configuration N10 Pictures File:N10 220(60).jpg|N10. File:N10 120(68) 1.jpg|Lid. File:N10 220(12).jpg|N10 side view. File:N10 220(13).jpg|N10 side view. File:N10 220(14).jpg|N10 side view. File:N10 220(21).jpg|Main screen. File:N10 220(22).jpg|Keyboard. File:IMG 3026.jpg|Keyboard unplugged. File:N10 220(23).jpg|N10 vs. Eee. File:N10 220(24).jpg|N10 vs. Eee. File:N10 220(27).jpg|N10 keyboard vs. Eee keyboard. File:N10 220(33).jpg|Key width comparison. File:N10 220(34).jpg|Key length comparison. File:N10 120(21).jpg|Battery place. File:N10 220(36).jpg|3-cell battery. File:N10 220(37).jpg|Back of N10. File:IMG 2890.jpg|Back of N10. File:N10 220(38).jpg|RAM. File:N10 220(39).jpg|Azureware wireless card. File:IMG 3035.jpg|Wireless card. File:N10 220(40).jpg|HDD. File:N10 220(41).jpg|Motherboard. File:IMG 3038.jpg|Motherboard. File:IMG 3041.jpg|Motherboard. File:IMG 3042.jpg|CPU. File:IMG 3043.jpg|GPU. File:N10 220(44).jpg|Main fan. File:N10 220(28).jpg|Fan noise. File:N10 220(50).jpg|Below keyboard. File:IMG 3029.jpg|Beneath the keyboard. File:IMG 3030.jpg|Another view. File:N10 220(56).jpg|Screen. File:IMG 3036.jpg|Screen detached. File:IMG 3037.jpg|All parts next to each other. N10 Models & Configurations In the following table, you will find all the basic models in which you can get an N10. Some have only minor differences, other are almost completely different hardware. In the last row you will find some sellings tips why you would want that particular model. It's very improtant to note that these are only the basic models, the bundles you find on sale might have different codenames attached and might include other hardware/gadgets in the package. These codenames and packages are usually different per country, so adding them all to this page would be kind of pointless. The best thing you can do is check this table for what 'basic' model you want, and then go search the most bang-for-buck of that type you can find in your area. For example: If you, being a USA-resident, decide to get an N10J, there are two models you can choose from. These are the N10J-A1 and the N10J-A2. These both fall under the 'N10J' basic model in this table, but have some minor differences in hardware. The first three models that came into the world were the N10E, N10Jc and N10J. The N10E is kind of a 'fake' N10, it doesn't include the main selling-point of this netbook/notebook series because it doesn't have a dedicated GPU. The N10Jc and N10J are very alike, but the N10Jc comes with only 1Gb RAM and XP Home, while the N10J provides 2Gb RAM and comes with Vista (Home Premium or better). The newer models, N10Jb and N10Jh, can look very confusing inside this productline, but you have to draw the right parallels. These newer models differ from the older ones in that they have a different CPU (Atom N280@1.66Ghz instead of Atom N270@1.6Ghz) and different dedicated GPU. The CPU is slightly higher clocked, but does so with a much higher FSB thus limiting the overclock-margins in comparison to the older models. The new GPU is double the old one in every way (double the RAM, double the shaders), but will only be useful if GPGPU gets popular through Dx11 or OpenCL, as in games the Atom processor is just too slow for the GPU to make a difference. The parallel from old to new is this: The N10Jc has been 'replaced' by the N10Jb, while the N10J has been 'replaced' by the N10Jh. N10 BIOS Versions - by JohnMiller A lot of lurking & searching (ie, opening all four pages of results from a search for "BIOS") has revealed plenty of malcontent about the latest BIOS releases from ASUS. It seems that it's good to upgrade from some of the oldest releases, but the latest have problems? Keep in mind user feedback is not the most reliable - take this information with a grain of salt. People flashing their BIOS tend to do all sorts of additional wonky things, and if something breaks it's a little too easy to blame the BIOS upgrade. Bottom line: if you're happy with your netbook right now, the best solution is to leave the BIOS where it is. Latest Revision: 218 Recommended Safe Revision: 208 Recommended Hardcore Revision: 218 Previous revisions of the BIOS are not available from ASUS past a few revisions. Download latest revision: http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/nb/N10J/N10jas218.zip * Revision 207 ** No user feedback. ** First release. * Revision 208 Topic 1 Topic 2 Topic 3 Topic 4 ** Stable BIOS. ** Evidently, the best way to remove flickering issues is to downgrade to this version. ** Battery charging issues can also be solved by downgrading to this version. ** Probable video sync and other shenanigans past this point! * Revision 209 - Support N280 over clock 5% and under clock 10% Topic 1 ** Weird screen stretching issue past this point. * Revision 210 Topic 1 Topic 2 ** No new issues, potentially more stable when overclocking * Revision 211 Topic 1 Topic 2 Topic 3 ** Turbo mode freezes ** Display resolution fixed on Nvidia 9300m ** ExpressGate 1.0.5.14 reported working * Revision 212 Topic 1 Topic 2 Topic 3 ** Turbo mode still freezes ** Screen stretching/scewing evidently fixed. ** Not recommended for use with N10 netbooks. * Revision 213 - Unconfirmed BIOS emailed to '''kryspin.motyczka' Topic 1 ** Allegedly released directly to customer on this forum ** Now replaced by revision 214 * Revision '''214' - Fix the problem that sometimes NB will have black screen when under DC mode. Topic 1 Topic 2 Topic 3 Topic 4 ** Fixed turbo mode issues ** Fixed black screen problem for some users ** Intel graphics screen flicker issue - refresh rate stuck @ 49 Hz. ** Battery charges extremely slowly. * Revision 216 - Support CPU N280 Topic 1 Topic 2 ** Intel graphics refresh rate fixed. ** Some users still having black screen issue on 216. ** Battery slow charging issue not fixed. * Revision 217 - To avoid black screen sporadically under DC mode ** No user feedback. * Revision 218 Topic 1 ** Fix for battery charging issue & general good results from users. ** Last stable BIOS. * 'Homebrew BIOS by ''Veisen '''Topic 1 ** Based on Revision 218 ** GPU is overclocked to 630/530/1550 Mhz (Core/Memory/Shader) ** Windows 7 bypasser ** Stable homebrew BIOS ** Issues of overheating when CPU is overclocked too ** Requires a different approach to flash this BIOS General Comparison You now know the general configuration of the Asus N10. However, in this age we live in, technology advances really fast, and let's be honest, N10 isn't the only netbook out there. So, you might be in a dilemma about which netbook (or ultraportable notebook) you want to use. Below is a comparison of several ultraportable notebooks, according to their 3DMark scores. Unless mentioned otherwise, tests are done in their native resolution. Resolution differences and overclocks should be accounted for when comparing scores.